Humidifier



Jan. 3, 1933. J. v. STEWART HUMIDIFIER Fiied July 16, 1951 0 73, Vjfewari INVENTOR Patented Jan. 3, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE JAY V. STEWART, OF PERRY TOWNSHIP, STARK CQUNTY, OHIO, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF T0 D. D. MILLER, 01, CANTON, OHIO HUMIDIEIER Application filed July 16,

My invention relates to improvements in humidifiers intended to supply to artificially heated air the moisture necessary to produce a natural and more healthful atmosphere, the

3 same being adapted for use with any system of heating, and the objects of my invention are to provide a compact device presenting a large and variable surface area for the evaporation of water together with means for inducing movement of the air over said surface, the whole being easily and cheaply made, neat in appearance, convenient in use and capable of operation in connection with various means of heating.

These objects, together with other objects apparent to those skilled in the art, may be attained by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing, although the inventi on may be embodied in other forms, the construction illustrated being chosen by way of example.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the upper portion of a steam or other radiator with a humidifier embodying my invention in operative position thereon. Fig. 2 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view through the humidifier shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical, transverse sectional view of the same.

Throughout the several Views, similar reference numerals indicate similar parts.

More specifically describing the construction disclosed in said drawing, the numeral 1 indicates a steam or other radiator of usual construction, the lower part thereof being broken away. 2 is a water pan preferably formed of sheet metal and constituting the lower portion of the humidifier casing, the upper, removable cover portion of which is 4 numbered 3, preferably also formed of sheet metal and adapted to rest noon the water pan, the upper edges of the si es and ends of the water pan 2 being provided with the integral supporting bead 4 and hemmed retaining flanges 5 to receive the lower hemmed edges of the sides 6 and ends 7 of said cover portion.

The sides 6 are provided with the longitudinal, parallel slotted air intake openings 8 and the ends 7 are provided with similar 1931. Serial in. 551,130.

catch ascending: air adjacent the outside of the casing and direct the same into the interior thereof. The top 11 is provided with longitudinal slotted exhaust air openings,

parallel to the openings 8, which are providedwith louvres 12 extending upwardly and toward the median line of the top 11, the'louvres on the two sides of said median line being thus directed toward each other. 'Within the water pan 2 is arranged a longitudinal series of spaced, transversely disposed air moistening members 13, each of which is preferably an oblong, rectangular slab or thin brick of porous material, standing on one of its longer edges upon the bottom of the pan 2 and extending upwardly into the cover 3 and'to a point adjacent but spaced from the top 11, said members being sufficiently short to also leave spaces between their ends and the sides of the water pan. The

said members 13 are adapted to absorb water 14 from thepan 2 by capillary attraction and present moistened faces on all portions of said members above the water line, thus greatly increasing the area of humidifying surface exposed to the air within the casing. It/will be apparent that the capacity of the humidifier may be readily varied by using more or fewer of the members 13 as conditions may require.

In using a humidifier embodying my invention, the device should be placed upon a radiator, as illustrated on the drawing, or above a stove or hot air register of usual con struction. Water should be placed in the pan Quntil the members 13 are thoroughly saturated and the water level in the pan is adjacent the bead 4. The ascending heated air will then be deflected by the bottom of the pan 2 so as to ascend along the vertical sides and ends of the casing, where a portion of it will be directed into the interior by the louvres 10. Here it will continue its movement, passing around and between the members 13, from the moistened faces of which, as well as from the surface of the Water, it will absorb moisture and pass on through the openings in the top 11, being there directed by the louvres 12 in converging currents toward the median line immediately after it passes out of the device.

In accordance with well known principles of convection and induction, the ascending currents not passing through the humidifier will converge above the top 11 and produce a lowered atmospheric pressure, immediately below their point of convergence thus aiding in exhausting the moistened air from the interior of the casing, the arrangement of intake and exhaust openings with their louvres, as well as the arrangement of the air moistening members 13 being adapted to cooperate with the natural movements of the air currents around and above the casing so as to promote the passage of air through the device and produce maximrun etficiency in the transfer of water vapor to the air during said passage.

I claim A humidifier of the character described comprising a pan having sides, ends, and a bottom and adapted to contain water, a cover having sides, ends, and a top, removably supported by said pan, said pan and cover adapted to form a casing, a lineal series of transversely disposed, spaced air moistening slabs of porous material within said casing, said slab standing on said bottom and extending upwardly into said cover, the sides of said cover provided with slotted air intake openings extending horizontally, parallel to the line of said series and having louvres extending outwardlyand downwardly from the top edges of said openings, the top of said cover provided .on both sides of the median line thereof with slotted air exhaust openings extending parallel to said air intake openings and provided with louvres extending upwardly and inwardly from the outer edges of said openings and toward said median line, whereby air ascending outside said cover will be deflected inwardly through said intake openings.

In testimony that I claim the above, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JAY V. STEWART. 

